week 4 - spinal injurires

Question 1

invertebra

Answer 1

shock absorber disks

Question 2

5 structures and functions of the spine

Answer 2

1. houses and protects the spinal cord
2. vertebrae has a hollow center to allow for spinal cord
3. spinal cord transmits nerve impulses from the brain to the rest of the body
4. allows for movement, sensation etc
5. vertebrae are divided up in sections

Question 3

5 sections of the vertebrae

Answer 3

1. cervical
2. thoracic
3. lumbar
4. sacral
5. coccyx

Question 4

2 types of trauma

Answer 4

1. direct
2. indirect

Question 5

example of indirect trauma

Answer 5

tumor

Question 6

fractured vertebrae results in

Answer 6

1. swelling and inflammation
2. migration of bone fragments

Question 7

TRUE OR FALSE
- the severity and outcome depends on the location of the injury

Answer 7

TRUE

Question 8

paraplegia

Answer 8

paralysis of the lower parts of the body

Question 9

quadriplegia

Answer 9

paralysis of all 4 extremities and the trunk

Question 10

what does a injury from a force from the front cause (bend towards force, then recoil backwards)

Answer 10

hyperflexion

Question 11

what does a injury from a force from the back cause (bend backward towards force then recoil forward)

Answer 11

hyper extension

Question 12

when assessing for a spinal injury assess all extremities for

Answer 12

1. strength
2. mobility
3. sensation

Question 13

when there is an altered LOC what can you assume

Answer 13

spinal cord injury

Question 14

3 things needed for spinal immobilization

Answer 14

1. immobilization of the head
2. immobilization of the neck
3. immobilization of the torso/thorax

Question 15

TRUE OR FALSE
- full immobilization is usually required

Answer 15

FALSE - full immobilization is usually NOT required

Question 16

6 steps for immobilization

Answer 16

1. manual c spine control
2. cervical collar
3. backboard (or scoop = better option)
4. log roll (ensure head, torso, pelvis move as a unit = 2 person roll and the person at the head calls the roll)
5. strapping (shoulder, pelvis, legs)
6. head rolls

Question 17

if the secondary medic does the strapping what is the primary’s responsibility

Answer 17

to check their partners work to ensure straps are tight enough and all are correctly attached and in the correct spots (strap chest is first because it’s the heaviest part of the body)

Question 18

KED

Answer 18

kendrick extrication device

Question 19

examples of when the ked would be used

Answer 19

1. cars
2. stairwells
3. small rooms
4. patients must remain seated
   **only use for a stable patient as it takes time

Question 20

most common causes of paralysis

Answer 20

include strokes, spinal cord injuries and nerve disorders like multiple sclerosis

Question 21

what is paralysis

Answer 21

paralysis is a loss of muscle function in part of your body. It can be localized or generalized, partial or complete, and temporary or permanent. paralysis can affect any part of your body at any time in your life.

Question 22

what is a rotation translation fracture

Answer 22

a rotation and translation fracture are severe spinal injuries characterized by the horizontal displacement and rotation of 1 vertebrae

Question 23

what is a burst fracture

Answer 23

a severe variant of a compression fracture with an increase risk of neurological deficits. the vertebrae is crushed in all directions

Question 24

what can happen if the vertebrae collapse

Answer 24

it can cause pieces of bone to press on the spinal cord nerves which can cause a decrease amount of blood and oxygen that gets to the spinal cord

Question 25

what is a compression fracture

Answer 25

causes the vertebrae to collapse making them shorter in height

Question 26

what is the most common type of spinal fracture

Answer 26

compression fracture

Question 27

dysphasia

Answer 27

- problems or difficulty swallowing - problems with patients in unusual neck anatomy following neurological procedures

Question 28

airway problems

Answer 28

restricted access to the airway can make it difficult to clear vomit or blood

Question 29

what is placed under a children’s body when placed on a spinal board

Answer 29

padding is placed under the child’s torso from below the shoulders to the hips to keep their body in alignment with their head so it’s not hyper-flexed

Question 30

what are the 5 possible complications associated with spinal immobilization using a c collar

Answer 30

1. airway problems (aspiration = breathing in anything in the lungs example; mucus) 2. restricted respiration 3. dysphagia 4. skin ulceration 5. pain

Question 31

what is lordosis

Answer 31

- the inward curve of the lumbar spine (just above the butt) - seen in people who are pregnant, kids going through growth spurts or those who are overweight - blanket needs to be under the elevated part when trying to mobilize the spine

Question 32

what is kyphosis

Answer 32

- when a person has rounded shoulders - often seen in older populations - which stretcher is better the scoop or backboard

Question 33

which stretcher is better the scoop or backboard

Answer 33

scoop

Question 34

how long should a patient be on a unpadded long board (backboard) for no longer than

Answer 34

45 minutes

Question 35

what to check for during a spinal check

Answer 35

palpate (lateral and midline) and look for any tenderness or deformities of the spine

Question 36

what to look for during the physical exam for a spinal injury - 4 parts of an assessment

Answer 36

1. head 2. neck 3. back 4. extremities

Question 37

mechanism

Answer 37

energy moves through the body based on the force/impact (think class example - side impacted with force is going to be more severely injured or damaged)

Question 38

how many vertebrae total do humans have by full development

Answer 38

33

Question 39

how many cervical vertebrae are there

Answer 39

7

Question 40

how many thoracic vertebrae are there

Answer 40

12

Question 41

how many lumbar vertebrae are there

Answer 41

5

Question 42

how many sacral vertebrae are there

Answer 42

5 fused

Question 43

how many coccyx vertebrae are there

Answer 43

4 fused